DAY 1 : TRAVEL FROM DELHI TO SHIMLA
Park
Duration of visit: 1 Hour
Timings: 9 AM - 6 PM
Entry Fee: Rs. 30 for Adults and Rs.10 for Children
At a distance of 4.5 km from Chandigarh Bus Station, Rock Garden is a sculpture garden situated in Sector 1 near Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh. The Rock Garden is one of the prime attractions of Chandigarh and also one of the must visit places in Chandigarh.
Also known as Nek Chand's Rock Garden, the park was opened to the public in 1976. Spread over an area of 25 acres, the Rock Garden has been designed as an open-air exhibition hall using urban and industrial wastes by Nek Chand, a former Road Inspector in Chandigarh. Nek Chand started the garden secretly near Sukhna Lake in 1957. The site where the rock garden stands today was a dumping ground and from here Mr. Nek Chand picked many waste materials and eventually shaped them into some amazing structures of humans and other forms. It was discovered by the authorities in 1975 and might have been demolished on the grounds of being illegal, but was saved by popular public opinion. Nek Chand was then put in charge of the park and given .....
DAY 2 : SHIMLA SIGHTSEEING
Pilgrimage
Duration of visit: 2 Hours
Timings: 8 AM to 6 PM
Entry Fee: FREE
At a distance of 7 km from Shimla Railway Station, Jakhu Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated on Jakhu Hill in Shimla. It is one of the famous religious Shimla places to visit.
Jakhu Temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity Hanuman, and is located at an altitude of 2455m on Jakhu Hill, the highest point in Shimla. According to mythology, a deadly arrow injured Lord Rama's brother Lakshmana when he was fighting the battle with the demon king Ravana. To save his life, Lord Hanuman came to the Himalayas to get the Sanjeevani herb. Upon reaching the Himalayas, Hanuman couldn't make out as to which herb was the Sanjeevani. So he dug up the entire mountain and flew back to where Lakshmana was lying injured. After Lakshmana was cured, Hanuman went back to place the mountain in its original site. He rested on top of the Jakhu hill for some time. It is said that the top of the hill got flattened due to Hanuman's .....
Historical & Heritage
Duration of visit: 30 Mins
Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM on all days except Monday
Entry Fee: Rs. 20 for Indians, Rs 50 for Foreigners
At a distance of 2 km from Shimla Railway Station and 3 km from Shimla Old Bus Stand, Vice Regal Lodge also known as Rashtrapati Niwas is located on the Observatory Hills of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. The lodge is one the best places to visit in Shimla city. It was formerly the residence of the British Viceroy of India Lord Dufferin.
The Vice Regal Lodge was designed by British architect Henry Irwin and built in the Jacobethan style during the regime of Lord Dufferin. Its construction was started in 1880 and completed in 1888. Only the local woods like pine and cedar were used to construct this marvel. Vice Regal Lodge is the only building of Shimla that occupies an entire hill by itself. The building now serves as the center for the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS).
The entrance opening to South leads one to the reception hall which stands adorned by a splendid fireplace and a grand spiraling staircase. The building .....
Historical & Heritage
Duration of visit: 30 Mins - 1 Hr
Timings: 6 AM to 9 PM
Entry Fee: FREE
At a distance of 2 km from Shimla Railway Station and 1.2 km from Shimla Old Bus Stand, The Ridge is a large open space located in the heart of Shimla. It is among the most visited Shimla tourist places and among the prime place to visit on a Shimla tour. The Ridge is situated along the Mall Road which is the famous shopping center of Shimla.
Several major places of Shimla like Lakkar Bazaar, Mall, Scandal Point, Jakhu Hill, etc. are connected through the Ridge. The movement of vehicles is strictly prohibited here. The Ridge in Shimla always remains crowded with hundreds of people. Tourists from all over the country visit this awesome place for the view of the sunset.
The Ridge at Shimla also provides the tourists a view of the age old Christ Church built in the Neo-Gothic style of architecture as well as the new Tudor library. The statue of YS Parmar .....
Shopping
Duration of visit: 1 Hour
Timings: 9 AM to 9 PM
Entry Fee: FREE
At a distance of 2 km from Shimla Railway Station and 2 km from Shimla Old Bus Stand, Mall Road is the main street and the busiest commercial areas of Shimla. The Mall extends from Barnes court on the eastern side to Vice Regal Lodge on the western side. Shopping in Mall Road is one of the top things to do in Shimla.
Built by the British during the colonial rule in India, the Mall Road was constructed keeping in mind the traffic on this route. Entry of vehicles was banned though cycle rickshaws were allowed. It has been built in a very strategic and planned way. The Mall Road has located a level below the ridge. The offices of the Municipal Corporation, fire service, and police headquarters are located here.
The Mall Road also has all major hotels, restaurants, and recreation centers of Shimla. The Mall Road is full of shops that sell woolen clothes, branded clothes, handicraft items, pottery items, .....
DAY 3 : VISIT NAGGAR & TRAVEL TO MANALI
Historical & Heritage
Duration of visit: 1-2 Hours
Timings: 10 AM - 5 PM
Entry Fee: Rs. 20 per person
At a distance of 20 km from Manali, and 22 km from the Kullu, the Naggar Castle is a famous castle located in Naggar. It is one of the best heritage places in Himachal, and among the not to miss in during your Manali tour.
Naggar Castle is a magnificent historical structure that overlooks the Kullu valley. The castle was built by Raja Sidhi Singh in 1460 AD. The Castle was used as a Royal residence and state headquarters until the British took over the whole Kangra and Kullu from Sikh's in 1846. Raja Gyan Singh sold it to the first assistant commissioner, Major Hay for a Gun. The northern wing of the castle was later converted to the European way of living by putting in staircase, fire place and chimneys. He later sold it to the Government when it was used as a courthouse. In 1947, with the departure of the British the court-activity ceased.
The castle was built in an impressive .....
DAY 4 : MANALI SIGHTSEEING
DAY 5 : VISIT KULLU & TRAVEL TO DHARAMSHALA
Pilgrimage
Duration of visit: 1 Hour
Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM
Entry Fee: FREE
At a distance of 10 km from Kullu Bus stand, 12 km from Naggar and 31 km from Manali, Dhakpo Shedrupling Monastery is located in Kais village of Kullu District. It is also known as Kais Monastery.
This monastery was inaugurated during the month of May in the year 2005 by the great Noble laureate and his Holiness Dalai Lama. This Monastery is located near the left bank of Beas River. The picturesque view of the valleys which are surrounding the place make it an appealing destination.
The monastery gives a magical look and it has been strongly dedicated to Dalai Lama. The Dhakpo Monastery systemized with the traditional reasoning and scriptures of the master and disciple, the great pioneers of Buddha Dharma. The monastery serves as a boarding school and university for the study of Buddhist philosophy. This monastery houses several Tibetan monks. This Monastery has a huge prayer hall with a huge Buddha statue.
Every year in the month of August His Highness Dhakpo Rinpochhe .....
DAY 6 : DHARAMSHALA HALF-DAY SIGHTSEEING & TRAVEL TO DELHI
Historical & Heritage
Duration of visit: 30 Mins
Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM in winter (Nov - Mar) & 5 AM to 7 PM in summer (Apr - Oct)
Entry Fee: Free Entry
At a distance of 3 km from Dharamshala and 6 km from McLeod Ganj, Namgyalma Stupa is an old Buddhist structure situated at Uparli Barol. It is one of the famous places to visit as part of Dharamshala Tour.
Namgyalma Stupa is a dome-shaped construction that contains the remains of Buddha, which the Tibetans consider to be a sacred place of worship. It holds a huge shrine of Sakyamuni Buddha. The Namgyalma Stupa was constructed in the remembrance of the Tibetan soldiers who fought for the freedom of Tibet. This structure is similar in design to the structure built during the 3rd century BC by King Ashoka.
Among the most prominent places of sightseeing in Dharamshala, the Namgyalma Stupa is carved from sandstone and is made with a vision of being long-lasting. It is a belief among Tibetans that anything that falls on the Namgyalma Stupa gets .....
Pilgrimage
Duration of visit: 30 Mins - 1 Hr
Timings: 6 AM to 7 PM
Entry Fee: Free Entry
At a distance of 2 km from McLeod Ganj Bus Stand & 6 km from Dharamshala, Bhagsu Nag Temple also known as Bhagsunath Temple is one of the popular ancient temples located in McLeod Ganj. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and the local deity Bhagsu Nag.
Bhagsu Nag Mandir is an ancient temple believed to have been built by King Bhagsu from Rajasthan. The present Bhagsu Nag temple was constructed by 1st Gurkha Rifles in early 19th century and worshipped majorly by 14 Gurkha platoon villages in Dharamshala. Adjacent to the temple building are a series of pools where Buddhist monks and visitors enjoy baths. An annual fair is conducted in the month of September at this temple which attracts tourist from the entire region.
This temple is situated on the way to Bhagsunag Waterfall.